Clematis plant named ‘EVIpo012’

ABSTRACT

A new  Clematis  cultivar which is well suited to propagation from softwood cuttings in glasshouses. The variety has a tall growth habit, profust, Red-Purple flowers, and continuous summer flowering. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from propagation.

Botanical classification: Genus: Clematis. Species: viticella.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of Clematiswhich originated from a chance pollination between the female seedparent, an unnamed seedling, and an unknown pollen parent plant. The newvariety is named ‘EVIpo012’.

The main characteristic that distinguishes ‘EVIpo012’ from the seedparent variety is that the unnamed seed parent has a Violet Blue flowercolor. The same of ‘EVIpo012’ is Red Purple Group 78C.

The objective of the cultivation of this Clematis variety for commercialnursery culture was to create a new and distinct variety with uniquequalities, such as:

-   -   1. Non clinging habit;    -   2. A profusion of semi-nodding, light purple flowers;    -   3. Summer flowering;    -   4. Well-suited to garden situtations;    -   5. Very winter hardy in Zones 3 to 9.

These qualities required improvement in Clematis varieties that were incommercial cultivation and the objectives have been substantiallyachieved in the new variety, as evidenced by the unique combination ofcharacteristics that are present in ‘EVIpo012’ which distinguish it fromall other varieties of which we are aware.

The seeds were germinated and evaluations were conducted of theresulting Clematis plants in a controlled environment.

‘EVIpo012’ was selected by Raymond J. Evison and Mogens N. Olesen intheir Clematis development program in Domarie Vineries Les Sauvagees,St. Sampsons, Guernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom in July, 1998.

Asexual reproduction of EVIpo012 by cuttings was first done by RaymondJ. Evison and Mogens N. Olesen in Domarie Vineries Les Sauvagees, St.Sampsons, Guernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom in August, 1998.This initial and subsequent propagations have demonstrated that thecharacteristics of ‘EVIpo012’ are true to type and are transmitted fromone generation to the next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustration show as true as is reasonablypossible to obtain in color photographs of this type:

1.1 Stem and leaves;

1.2 Compound leaf and leaflet, upper side;

1.3 Stem, leaves, but at ¼ opening, bud closed;

1.4 Bloom, upper side;

1.5 Bloom, lower side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of ‘EVIpo012’, as observed inits growth throughout the flowering period in glasshouses at DomarieVineries Les Sauvagees, St. Sampons, Guernsey, Channel Islands, UnitedKingdom. Observed plants are 2 years of age, and were cultivated in 2liter pots. Certain phenotypical characteristics of the variety may varyunder different environmental, cultural, agronomic, seasonal, andclimatic conditions. Color references are made using The RoyalHorticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 1995.

For a comparison, the nearest existing Clematis variety is ‘Alionushka’,a non-patented Clematis variety. Chart 1 details several physicalcharacteristics of ‘EVIpo012’ and the comparison variety.

CHART 1 ‘EVIpo012’ ‘Alionushka’ Tepal length 40 to 50 mm. 70 mm. Flowerform Open More elongated, campanulate. closed camapanulate. Flower colorPurple Group Purple Group N78C. 78A. Bracts Small to medium Large bractson bracts on non- non-terminal terminal flowers. flowers.

FLOWER AND FLOWER BUD

-   Blooming habit: Recurrent in summer. Flowering months are normally    late May, June, July, August, and September.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—15 to 20 mm in length. 10 to 12 mm in diameter.        -   Bud form.—Ovoid.        -   Bud color.—Red-Purple Group 72A.        -   Tepals.—Red-Purple Group 78A.        -   Peduncle.—Surface: Smooth. Length: 120 to 180 mm average            length. Color: Green Group 137A. Strength: Semi-nodding.        -   Receptacle.—No receptacle observed.        -   Borne.—Compound dichasial cymes.-   Flower bloom:    -   -   Size.—60 to 80 mm diameter on average. Typical bloom depth            is 30 to 50 mm.        -   Form.—Campanulate, with tepals slightly reflexed.        -   Color.—Tepal color upon opening: Upper surface: Purple Group            N78C. Lower surface: Purple Group N78C. Tepal color after            opening: Upper surface: Purple Group N78C. Lower surface:            Purple Group N78C. Lower margins of tepal are lighter in            color, Purple Group N78D. As flower fades, 3 longitudinal            veins retain their color, Purple Group N78C, while the            remainder of the tepal surfaces fade.        -   Variations.—None.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Lasting quality on plant.—Short; 7 to 10 days on the plant,            2 to 4 days as a cut flower.-   Tepals:    -   -   Quantity.—4 tepals.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Length.—40 to 50 mm.        -   Width.—20 mm.        -   Cross section.—Slightly reflexed.        -   Margin.—Entire. Normally undulates 3 to 34 times along            margin length.        -   Tepal apex.—Narrowly acute.        -   Tepal base.—Rounded.        -   Recurvature of tip.—Outer tepals occasionally recurved.        -   Persistence.—Tepals drop off cleanly.        -   Arrangement.—Tepals are arranged regularly.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pollen.—Quantity: Small amount.        -   Anthers.—Size 3 to 5 mm. Pollen: Yellow Group 13C.            Arrangement: Regular.        -   Filaments.—Size: 5 to 10 mm. Color: Yellow Group 19D.        -   Styles.—Color: Varies between Green Group 136D and Yellow            Group 11D.        -   Pistils.—Quantity: 40 to 60.        -   Seed.—Quantity: 30 to 40 per seed head. Color: Green Group            143C, ripening to Greyed-Orange Group 166C. Shape: Rounded            to tear shaped. Size: 4 to 5 mm diameter by 15 to 25 mm in            length.

PLANT

-   Plant form: Upright.-   Plant growth: Medium vigor.-   Height: Seasons growth attains meters 1.5 to 2 meters. Spread is 0.5    meters.-   Hardiness: Trials to date show the variety hardy in USDA Zones 3 to    9.-   Stems:    -   -   Color.—Young wood: Green Group 137C. Older wood:            Greyed-Orange Group 165C.        -   Internodes.—Cylindrical. Typical and observed length 90 mm.        -   Petioles.—Size: On compound pinnate leaves, 0 to 50 mm in            length. Color: Green Group 137C. Clasping: None.        -   Bark.—Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Smooth.-   Plant foliage: Deciduous. Simple elliptic leaves or compound leaves    consisting of 7 elliptic leaflets arranged in pinnate form.    -   -   Foliage size.—Average terminal leaflet size is 30 to 40 mm            long and 15 to 20 mm wide. Average compound leaf size is 150            mm long by 120 mm wide.        -   Abundance.—Average.        -   Color of mature leaflets.—Upper side: Green Group 137A.            Lower side: Green Group 137C.-   Plant leaves and leaflets:    -   -   Stipules.—Absent.        -   Petiole.—Color: Green Group 137C. Length: 0 to 50 mm.            Underneath:        -   Petioloule.—Length: 0 to 15 mm. Color: Green Group 137B.            Without prickles.        -   Leaf edge.—Margins of terminal leaflet and simple leaves are            entire.        -   Leaflet and simple leaf shapes.—Base: Rounded to acute.            Apex: Acute.        -   Texture.—Upper side: Glabrous. Lower side: Veined.        -   Surface.—Matte finish.        -   Thickness.—Thin.-   Disease resistance: Subject to any disease that normally attacks the    species, however the variety is more tolerant to Botrytis and    Clematis Wilt than all other Clematis known to us.

1. A new and distinct variety of Clematis plant named ‘Evipo012’, asillustrated and described herein as a distinct and novel clematisvariety due to its abundant red-purple flowers with good keepability,attractive long lasting foliage and compact growth, year round floweringunder greenhouse conditions, suitability for production from softwoodcuttings in pots, durable flowers and foliage which make the varietysuitable for distribution in the floral industry.